BRANDON, S.D. (KELO) — Every week of early fall brings a new marching band competition, and this Saturday, music will be in the air at Brandon Valley High School.
Members of the Brandon Valley marching band are tuning up for the Big Sioux Review.
“We’ll have 16 different bands from around the area, including Augustana Marching Band,” Big Sioux Review Chair Jodi Ackerman said.
Jodi Ackerman is the chair of the Big Sioux Review, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this fall.
“We’re really hoping to bring people out that have maybe participated in the Big Sioux Review in the past or been to it and maybe haven’t been to it for awhile, so we’re really excited to bring people in,” Ackerman said.
With thousands of people expected to attend, Ackerman says it takes hundreds of volunteers to make the event a success.
“We’ve had some people contact us saying ‘hey, I understand you might need a few more volunteers and I’m here, I love what the band’s doing, how can I help?’,” Ackerman said.
“Everything from concessions to taking tickets to hosting bands to parking buses,” Brandon Valley Band Director Tyler Nettestad said.
Tyler Nettestad is the band director at Brandon Valley and says the final product is worth the price of admission.
“Just a great time for our community to see different bands from around the region doing their thing,” Nettestad said.
The Marching Lynx will take the field in an exhibition during the Big Sioux Review, performing their show titled “Coursing Through My Veins”.
“In its raw sense, it’s about addiction and overcoming addiction, so we start kind of with a euphoric moment and then we hurdle into this painful moment, and then finally we’re into our recovery and recovering from that addiction,” Nettestad said.
The Big Sioux Review is also one of the bigger fundraisers for the Marching Lynx.
“The monies that we raise from Big Sioux Review are used for things like our senior banners, they’re used for scholarships, it’s used for travel expenses and all kinds of things for the students,” Ackerman said.
It starts Saturday night.
The Big Sioux Review is on Saturday at Brandon Valley High School. Gates open at 5:30. Admission is $15 for adults and $10 for students and senior citizens.
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